The Way The Game Is Played
by NeoVenus22
Summary: PRSPD. One game of chess has Sky questioning what he knows about himself. Slight Joan of Arcadia crossover. Spoilers for "Beginnings 1". [complete]


Author's note: No, you don't need to see any Joan of Arcadia to understand this. I recommend you do anyway, just 'cause it's a good show. This was something that Sarah dared me to do.

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me. No duh.

* * *

There was never any question that Sky Tate was going to be a Power Ranger, ever since he'd enrolled at the Academy. Everyone knew who Sky's dad was. Everyone knew Sky was aiming to be the next Red Ranger. He was the best in the Delta class. There was never any question about Sky Tate's future.

That was to say, Sky had never questioned what would become of him, until that afternoon in the park.

It was a day off from the Academy, and Sky's roommate Bridge and his best friend Syd had insisted on going to the park, to chill. "Bro, you need to get some fresh air," Bridge had said enthusiastically, clapping Sky on the shoulder. "You need to relax and just go with the flow for one day in your life, otherwise you're just gonna _zzzt!_-" here he'd made a zapping sound and had jolted theatrically, "-fry out."

Sky had attempted to silence him with a glare, but Bridge was too excited about the day off to pay it much mind. "If you fry, Syd and I will die. Remember that," he said cheerfully, and stuffed the picnic basket in the back of the Jeep.

Syd had been trying to coach Bridge on the intricacies of gymnastics, but Sky had gotten bored and wandered. He'd come across the chess field, a small group of about eight stone tables set up with stone benches and chess boards engraved in the top. People came here to play all the time, mostly old guys with nothing better to do. The tables were all empty today, though, even though it was sunny and warm out. Every table except one, where one lone black man was sitting. He had a brown coat and a soft beard, and was studying the chessboard intently.

Sky said nothing, continuing to walk past the field, until he'd heard, "Come play a game, Sky."

He stopped. There was no one there but the man. He looked at him. "How do you know my name?"

"Omniscience."

Since Sky had acquired his force field-creating ability at puberty, he was never quick to turn aside instances of weird, otherworldly powers. As it stood, even Bridge was more skeptical about the subject than Sky. That said a lot. Sky continued to stand there and watch the man, who never looked up.

"Your name is Sky Tate. Your father is Bronson Tate. He was the best Red Ranger that Space Patrol Delta has ever seen. You want to follow in his footsteps. You room with Bridge Carson, and he's funny and likeable, but you're worried that his antics are going to get you in trouble and hold you back from your promotion."

Psychic powers or not, it was still eerie. Sky cast a look around to see if anyone was watching him, and then sat across from the man. "Who are you?"

At last he looked up, and his expression was very serious. "I'm God."

Sky couldn't help it; he laughed. Sky never laughed, but the response was just so ridiculous that the chuckle just burbled out of him before he had a chance to even think about it. "No, really," he said, once he'd calmed down.

The man was still serious, unblinking, unwavering. "I'm God. Do you know how to play?"

Play? Sky stared, and the man nodded his head at the board, already set up.

"I know how to play." One of Sky's dad's friends taught him. The Green Ranger. Cheerful and friendly, like Bridge. A fun guy, but not a great Ranger, not like Sky's dad.

"White goes first," said the man, and sure enough, Sky had the white chess pieces laid out in front of him. He moved his pawn, and then the man, and then Sky. They played five moves apiece before Sky finally asked, "Did you say you were God?"

"Don't you believe me?"

"It's kind of crazy. No offense," he added, hastily but insincerely.

"Lots of things in life are crazy, Sky. Like an Academy that trains teenagers to save the world. Like a girl who can turn her hand into any material she's touching, like your friend Sydney."

Sky was silenced.

"Your move," said the man.

The game continued to go on, and Sky was so intent on the strategy and the need to win, that he forget his questions, until the man said, "Check." Sky without thought used his queen to eliminate the rook that had unsuspectingly cornered Sky's king, but on his next turn, the man declared casually, "Checkmate."

Sky hadn't lost a chess game ever, that he could recall. Even that first one against Mr. Carruthers, all those years ago. He blinked at the man.

"Do you believe now?" he asked quietly.

"If you're really God," said Sky shortly, "then you can tell me for certain that I'm going to be the next Red Ranger."

"That's up to you, Sky."

"I thought you were omniscient."

"I am. But I also invented free will. Everyone makes their own destiny. Including the Power Rangers."

"But..." Sky's mind raced through the Ranger history classes he'd sat through. "The scroll that picked the Ninja Storm team."

"Different people interpret things different ways," was all his companion would say. "I want to ask a favor of you, Sky. I want you to be nicer to your teammates. I want you to relax when they suggest. They want to be your friends. Let them be."

"But-"

The man held up his hand. "The Power Rangers are a team. They protect each other because they care for each other as friends. If they didn't, they wouldn't be as powerful as they are." He sighed gently when Sky seemed nonplussed. "Your father would say the same."

He stood up. "They're looking for you, Sky." He walked away, and Sky stood to follow him, to ask more questions, but from the other direction came Bridge and Syd.

"Sky! There you are!" Bridge yelled. "Ya get lost or something? We've been looking everywhere!"

"Bridge learned how to do a handstand, wanna see?" said Syd.

Sky looked over his shoulder at the man, but he was gone. Surprised, his gaze fell down to the chess board, at his fallen white king. He followed his teammates.

Sky had been staring at the plaque in the trophy hall bearing his father's name, thinking about that afternoon. He'd seen glimpses of the man occasionally, or thought he had. He now went back to the park on every free day, and spent the entire afternoon at the chess field, gladly challenging anyone and everyone. He won every game, but he was waiting for the man to come back. He didn't.

An explosion drew Sky out of his thoughts, and he knew it had to be Boom. He opened the door to the rec room, and sure enough, the Academy's official guinea pig was wearing a cast and standing in front of a pile of rubble. He sighed to himself. "Boom! Clean up your mess."

"Yes, sir," said Boom meekly. He was the only one that called Sky 'sir'. His own teammates didn't even extend him that courtesy. "Which...mess...sir?"

It was all Sky could do to keep his patience with Boom sometimes. "Start with the last one you made," he suggested evenly. "And work backwards."

"Yes, sir," said Boom, casting him a terrified look and then backing out of the room, even though it was clear that the most recent mess was right in front of them.

Syd and Bridge were sitting on the lounge, rolling their eyes at him. "Lighten up, Sky," said Syd. "Boom's a great guy. ...A little weird, but a great guy."

"Yeah, well, someday our lives may depend on that 'great guy,'" said Sky. There was obvious dislike in his voice. It was hard to muster even fake respect for someone who'd gotten kicked out of the Academy after three days. He resented the fact that the man had gotten to stay at SPD at all, even if his current position as Dr. Manx's whipping boy carried no respect and was more or less the laughingstock of the school.

He looked down at the table, feigning casualness as he moved one of the green bishops. "And then what?"

Bridge babbled something, but Sky tuned him out as he informed them that Commander Cruger was requesting their attendance. He cast one last look at the orange and green chess pieces. He'd been playing the exact same game every day for months now. He still couldn't see where he'd gone wrong.

They filed out, and Sky thought for the millionth time to that man in the park. Making nice with the other cadets was all well and good in theory, but Bridge was a goof-off, and Syd was prissy, and Sky just couldn't fathom how either of them would advance his career here.

And yet, in the hallway outside of Cruger's office, as the Alpha team darted past, Sky found himself confessing, not for the first time, that that was who he wanted to be. He was surprised at the way his demeanor changed, at the way his tone dropped, at the way he suddenly became the little boy again, who had first found out that his father was a Power Ranger, and that if he was careful, Sky could be one, too. Bridge and Syd, for all of their numerous faults, never laughed at Sky's dream. Perhaps the man in the park was right. Every day was a chance to start the game over again, to find the move to change the ending.


End file.
